News Release
Contact: Daniel J. Smith
706-355-5085
[email protected]
Athens, GA— The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution designating October 18-23, 2009,
as Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.
“Our adult education instructors provide people with a tremendous opportunity to accomplish their
long-delayed goal of earning their high school credential,” said Dr. Flora W. Tydings, president of Athens
Technical College. “Over 3,460 people enrolled in the college’s adult education program during the
2008-2009 academic year. This number included 639 individuals who earned their GED.”
Athens Technical College provides adult education programs to people in a 10-county region of
Northeast Georgia, including Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Hart, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Taliaferro,
Walton, and Wilkes counties.
Residents can enroll in classes at the adult education centers in these counties to improve their
basic literacy skills, prepare to take the GED, learn English as a second language, and complete specific
assessments and learn self-improvement skills needed for jobs or additional training. All classes are
available at no charge to county residents.
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Athens Technical College
News Release – Page 2
U.S. House designates October 18-23 as Adult Education and Family Literacy Week
Dr. Josephine Reed-Taylor, assistant commissioner for adult education at the Technical College
System of Georgia, said that Congress’ designation of Adult Education and Family Literacy Week
emphasizes just how important adult learning is to changing lives and improving communities. It also
sheds light on the issues that confront those million-plus Georgians who, for whatever reason, failed to
achieve a secondary education credential:
They’ll earn an average of almost $9,000 less annually than a person with a GED or high school
diploma.
Their chances of going to prison are higher.
They are more likely to experience poor health, higher infant mortality rates, have trouble
communicating with their heath-care providers, and have trouble navigating the health care and
insurance systems.
They’ll have problems understanding and managing basic finances and have problems with
supporting their families, including providing for their children who will miss out on basic health
care and educational services.
“Earning a GED opens many doors for people, including the opportunity to continue their education
at the college level,” Dr. Tydings said. “Last year, over 175 people who earned their GED through Athens
Technical College took the next step in their educational careers by enrolling in the associate degree,
diploma, and technical certificate programs we offer at our four campus locations.”
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